Nellie would only go along too--why----

And it happens this was one night when Ira had overlooked a date he had
with Nellie, and that while he was doin' overtime at the boatworks
Nellie was waitin' lonesome on the corner all dressed to go over to
South Bristol to a dance. So this bulletin from the great city finds
her in a state of mind.

"Course," says Maggie, "you got a feller, and all that."

"Humph!" says Nellie.

"And there's no tellin'," Maggie goes on, glancin' at her critical, "if
your figure would suit."

"If they can stand for yours," says Nellie, "I guess I'll take a chance
too. Come on. We'll take the early morning boat."

And they did. Ira didn't get the details until about a month later,
when who should drift back to the Mansion House but Maggie. Along with
two or three hundred other brunettes and imitation blondes, she'd been
shuffled into the discard. But Nellie had been signed up first rattle
out of the box, and accordin' to the one postcard that had come back
from her since she was now flaggin' as Maizie Latour. But no word at
all had come to Ira.

"If I'd only bought that ring sooner!" he sighs. "I've got it now,
though. Bought it in Portland on my way down. See?" and he snaps open
a white satin box, disclosin' a cute little pearl set in a circle of
chip diamonds.